Hockey fans indulge in a nine-month spectacle known as the NHL season, featuring a thrilling 82-game regular season that culminates in the highly anticipated Stanley Cup Final in mid-June.
The recent introduction of legal online sports betting in Massachusetts has undoubtedly sparked excitement among Boston Bruins fans.
Bettors have the convenience of placing wagers on any NHL team through their mobile devices, with options such as daily game lines, game-by-game and seasonal player props, team point totals, and even the Stanley Cup.
Best NHL betting sites
On March 10, the launch of MA online sports betting provided hockey fans in the state with a range of Massachusetts mobile sports betting apps to choose from.
DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars are among the leading names in the industry. These sportsbooks provide NHL bettors with a range of offerings.
🏒 DraftKings Sportsbook Massachusetts
DraftKings Sportsbook provides a wide range of features as the official sports betting partner of the NHL.
The NHL betting market on DraftKings stands out prominently. In addition to the typical puck lines, moneylines, and over/unders available for each game, bettors can utilize DraftKings’ same-game parlay builder to create their own same-game parlays.
In addition, there exists a wide-ranging futures market for both teams and individual players, along with numerous player props. Furthermore, DraftKings MA Sportsbook offers a daily special on the game with the highest score.
DraftKings, the NHL’s official partner, brings an added benefit to NHL enthusiasts. It seamlessly incorporates league statistics and trends into its sportsbook for an enhanced experience.
🏒 FanDuel Sportsbook Massachusetts
The NHL betting platform of FanDuel MA Sportsbook offers a straightforward and easily navigable interface, accompanied by a wide variety of odds markets to choose from.
Everyday, there are odds and parlay boosts available for game lines and alternate lines. Additionally, there are daily specials for the highest-scoring team and goal total of the day.
In addition, FanDuel provides futures odds for Stanley Cup, conference, and division winners. Similar to DraftKings, FanDuel also features a specialized parlay builder exclusively for NHL games.
FanDuel offers highly competitive odds, particularly for underdogs, giving users the opportunity to potentially score a larger payout if those underdogs emerge victorious.
🏒 BetMGM Sportsbook Massachusetts
For NHL bettors, BetMGM MA Sportsbook presents a reliable online choice. It offers a wide range of player award odds, an exciting prop for predicting the Original Six Stanley Cup winner, as well as daily specials that include scoring and goaltending props for games.
In addition to that, BetMGM provides special offers for cross-sports parlay bets and daily enhanced player and team prop bets.
Additionally, visitors to MGM Springfield Casino can enjoy the convenience of a retail BetMGM Sportsbook, where they have the opportunity to place NHL bets in person.
🏒 Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts
In addition to game and player props, alternate lines, and futures, NHL bettors will discover the bread-and-butter on the league’s nightly schedule.
In addition to providing ample options for novice bettors to gain experience, more seasoned gamblers can also enjoy the chance to make live bets and capitalize on parlay and odds boosts.
It can be argued that FanDuel and DraftKings offer marginally superior betting experiences, as they offer a user interface with more consistent depth and variety. Nevertheless, Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts is a formidable sports betting brand that should be included in the rotation of every NHL bettor.
How to sign up for a Massachusetts sportsbook account
Registering for an account on an online sportsbook is a straightforward procedure that typically requires only a few minutes to finalize. Additionally, regardless of the chosen book, the process remains relatively consistent, simplifying the overall experience.
Once you are prepared to establish your account(s), you will need to furnish the subsequent details:
- Full name
- Birthday
- Email address
- A username and password
- Address
- Phone number
- Last four digits of your SSN.
Before placing a bet, sportsbooks need to confirm your age and address. Typically, they will request you to upload an image of your identification for this purpose. Additionally, sportsbooks may ask for the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN). While some new users may feel hesitant about providing this information, it is important to note that licensed and regulated sportsbooks have robust security measures in place. Their intention is solely to verify your identity.
Enabling your location services is a requirement when downloading the application on your phone. It is important to note that online betting is illegal if your current location does not permit it.
After completing the initial sign-up process, make sure to check for any available welcome bonuses! Once you’ve received your bonus, you can begin placing NHL bets.
Best NHL odds boosts and promos
Sportsbooks in Massachusetts provide a range of welcome promotions, including sign-up offers. Additionally, these sportsbooks frequently offer odds boosts on a regular basis.
DraftKings, being the NHL’s official betting partner, offers customized boosts for nationally televised games, which can be quite advantageous for Bruins fans who are interested in betting on other NHL matchups. Meanwhile, BetMGM presents a daily “Lion’s Boost” specifically for certain games.
Last season, during a game between the Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals, BetMGM’s Lion’s Boost offered +200 odds for both teams to score in the first period.
Throughout the season, keep an eye out for these generous NHL offers, which can be easily found on the homepage of most betting platforms, as well as on sportsbooks’ dedicated promos page. Don’t miss out on these regular odds boosts and promotions!
Make sure to carefully go through the complete terms and conditions of each offer before you avail them, as they may vary.
How NHL betting odds work
Massachusetts sportsbooks provide a wide range of betting options for NHL games, encompassing numerous wagering markets. However, the majority of NHL betting in Massachusetts revolves around three main types of bets: moneylines, puck lines, and totals (over/under).
NHL puck lines
In the world of hockey, NHL puck lines function similarly to spread bets in football and basketball, which are known for their popularity. However, due to the scoring dynamics in these sports, the spreads tend to fluctuate more frequently compared to hockey. In NHL games, the standard puck line is set at 1.5 goals. By wagering on the puck line, you are essentially betting on the favored team to win by at least two goals (designated as -1.5), or alternatively, on the underdog to either prevent the opposing team from winning by more than two goals (designated as +1.5) or to secure a victory outright.
NHL moneylines
The moneyline in NHL operates similarly to moneylines in other sports. It involves betting on the team expected to win the game. For instance, let’s take a game between the Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins, where the Bruins are favored with -125 odds on the moneyline. In this scenario, you would need to bet $125 to potentially win $100 if the Bruins emerge victorious.
NHL totals (over/unders)
When placing bets on NHL totals, you predict the total number of goals that both teams will score in a game. You have the option to bet either over or under the specified number. Hockey totals generally span from 5 to 8 goals. The odds for NHL totals are commonly set at approximately -110 for both options, but they may vary.
NHL alternate lines
NHL alternate lines offer bettors an opportunity to obtain a different puck line number for a game. This can sometimes prove advantageous as the standard puck line number, which is typically 1.5, rarely changes. Alternate lines may reverse the line for both the favorite and the underdog. For instance, if the Boston Bruins are favored with a puck line of -1.5 (+140) against the Pittsburgh Penguins, an alternate line could be Bruins +1.5 (-500). In such a scenario, your bet would have a higher likelihood of being successful, but the payout would be significantly reduced. Employing the same strategy for the Penguins would increase the chances of an upset victory.
The NHL’s margin of victory poses a challenge for alternate lines. In 2021, the average margin of victory in NHL games was 2.08 goals. It is not realistic to anticipate that the underdog will consistently win by two or more goals, making it an impractical long-term betting strategy. This is typically why the odds for such outcomes are set at high levels.
How to find the best NHL betting odds
To discover the optimal NHL betting odds, one must explore various sports betting platforms. Although the odds for a specific game may appear similar on different sportsbooks, even slight advantages can accumulate. NHL lines are not fixed; they are dynamic and fluctuate due to factors such as injuries, team changes, and betting activity, just like any other sport.
When it comes to discovering the finest NHL line, the key lies in identifying the most lucrative figure. Hence, we suggest downloading several sportsbook apps to explore and compare various odds, ensuring you find the most profitable option.
In the case of the Bruins vs. Penguins matchup, we can observe a difference in odds between two sportsbooks. One book presents the Bruins as -125 favorites, while another displays them as -115 favorites. Betting $100 on the -115 line could potentially yield a profit of $86.96, whereas betting the same amount at -125 odds has the potential to result in a profit of $80.
NHL props and futures bets
NHL betting at sportsbooks offers a range of options, from props to futures bets. Bettors can choose to make broad league-wide futures bets, such as predicting the winner of the Stanley Cup. Alternatively, they can opt for more specific player props, like wagering on the number of goals the Bruins will score in the first period of a regular-season game in January.
Futures
Futures bets involve making long-term predictions and are commonly placed in NHL betting. These wagers can be made on various outcomes such as the Stanley Cup winner, winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences, division winners, and the Presidents Trophy winner. Additionally, bettors can also place bets on player props for the entire season, such as goals and point totals, along with awards like the Art Ross Trophy for the leading scorer and the Vezina Trophy for the top goaltender in the NHL.
You can find various sportsbooks that provide the option to place futures bets on a particular team’s chances of making the playoffs. These NHL futures can be accessed before the season begins as well as during the season.
Due to the nature of futures as long-term predictions encompassing various potential outcomes, the bets placed on them can yield a greater potential profit. As an illustration, placing a bet on the top contender to win the Stanley Cup at the start of a season might offer odds of +700.
Props
Proposition bets, also known as props, involve placing bets on specific events that occur during a particular game. In NHL games, prop bets offer the opportunity to bet on various outcomes such as whether a particular player will score a goal, the total points achieved by a specific player, the total shots taken by one of the teams, or the number of goals scored by a team within a specific period. It is important to note that prop bets are distinct from traditional bets on the overall outcome of a game. For instance, you can place a bet on a Bruins player scoring more than 1.5 goals and still win the bet regardless of whether the Bruins win or lose the game.
NHL live betting
The emergence of authorized online sportsbooks has revolutionized the betting landscape for NHL and other sports enthusiasts. These platforms now enable individuals to place bets on ongoing matches, commonly referred to as “in game” or live betting.
What makes live betting so popular? One of the reasons is the possibility of discovering favorable odds during a game that would not have been available prior to the start. Additionally, live betting allows you to place bets as the action unfolds.
Live betting on NHL games is available through DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM. FanDuel even allows you to stream various out-of-market NHL games daily, enabling you to place live bets while enjoying the game directly on their app.
What makes NHL betting unique?
NHL betting stands out from wagering on other sports due to its unique combination of precision akin to basketball, the physicality reminiscent of football, and the thrilling speed of play on an ice rink.
The empty-net goal
In NHL, teams have the privilege to replace their goaltender with another skater. Particularly in the closing minutes of a game while trailing, teams frequently opt to remove their goalie. This decision grants them an extra skater on the ice, but it also exposes the net, leaving it unguarded.
Based on statistics from the 2018-19 NHL season, teams allowing the opposing team to pull their goalie had a 44% chance of getting scored on. Considering the average margin of victory, which was 2.08, and the fixed puck line of 1.5, betting on the puck line often involves predicting the likelihood of an empty-net goal.
Scoring structure
In NFL matches, scoring a touchdown awards a team with six points. Subsequently, the team has the option to kick an extra point or go for a two-point conversion. Moreover, a field goal contributes three points to the team’s score, while a safety adds two points.
The scoring system in the NBA is quite complex. A free throw is awarded one point, while a basket made from within the arc is valued at two points. However, a score from beyond the arc is considered worth three points.
The NHL awards one point for a goal, similar to how a run in MLB is also valued at one point. As a result, NHL betting shares commonalities with MLB betting due to this scoring system and the consistent 1.5 spreads in MLB.
Overtime rules
In regular season games, if the allotted five-minute sudden-death overtime period ends without a goal, a shootout is utilized. The team that emerges victorious in the shootout is awarded a single goal on the scoreboard.
Betting on the NHL sets itself apart from other major sports due to the combination of goal value and the OT scoring structure. In both regular-season and playoff games, the margin of victory is consistently one goal when the game reaches overtime. This remains true even during playoff games, where teams continue playing sudden death overtime periods until a winner is determined.
In comparison to other major sports leagues like MLB, the NHL betting stands out due to its unique overtime rules. While MLB games can extend into extra innings, it is possible for a team to secure victory with a lead greater than one run during these instances.
NHL betting rules at Massachusetts sportsbooks
When considering player props, note that goals scored during overtime are included in the total count. However, goals scored during the shootout are not considered for prop totals.
In order to win a goalie shutout prop on DraftKings, the starting goalie must remain in the game for its entirety without conceding any goals. However, if the team decides to replace the starting goalie for any reason, the bet will be considered void unless the starting goalie had not let any goals in before being substituted. To get a complete understanding of NHL betting rules, please refer to the comprehensive rundown.